Attachment for linotype-machines.



No. 802,108. I PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905 G. J. OBRIEN.

ATTACHMENT FOR LINOTYPE MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 80,1904.

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No. 802,108. PATENTED OUT. 17, 190 5.

C. J. O'BRIEN.

ATTACHMENT FOR LINOTYPE MACHINES.

APPLICATION PILED JULY 30,1904.

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W1 TNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT. @FFTGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1905.

Application filed July 30, 1904. Serial No. 218,868.

To all whom, it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES J AMES OBRIEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Redding, in the county of Shasta and State of California, have invented a new and useful Attachment for Linotype-Machines, of which the fol.

lowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

The aim of my invention is to adapt commercial Mergenthaler linotype-machines of the general organization represented in United States Letter Patent No. 436,532 for the use of two-letter matrices, such as shown in United- States Letters Patent No. 449,872, so that the machine may be caused to produce at will slugs bearing either the upper or the lower characters of the matrices. In this class of machines the composed line of matrices is transferred to a vertically-moving carrier, known as the first elevator, by which the line is lowered to the casting position in front of the mold between two jaws, which confine the line endwise. In the machine of the patent intended for the use of single-letter matrices the first elevator is lowered always to one and the same position, so as to present the matrix characters opposite the slot of the mold. If two-letter matrices are used in this machine, it is necessary to arrest and support the elevator at a higher level, so that the matrices will be sustained with their lower characters opposite the mold.

The present invention relates to an adjustable attachment by which the elevator may be permitted to operate at the lower level, as usual, or stand at the upper level when the lower matrix characters are to be utilized.

To this end it consists in a movable stop or support adapted to sustain the elevator and provided with a device for actuating the usual clutch-controlling device, as hereinafter ex plained.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my attachment. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the right end with the movable member detached. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the movable member. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the device in position on a machine. Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to Fig. 6, A represents the fixed portion of the main frame, commonly known as the vise-frame. B is the line of matrices assembled, as usual, side by side. 0 is the vertically-movable support for the matrix-line,

commonly known as the front elevator, having its channeled head in which the matrices are suspended carried and sustained by a vertical slide 0, seated in the main frame. D is the slotted mold to which the line of matrices is presented, and E the mouth of the meltingpot by which the back of the mold is closed and the molten metal delivered therein. ((1 is the vertical slide-rod projecting through the top of the vise-frame and serving, as described in Patent No. 436,532, to control the action of the clutch through which the machine is actuated. This rod protrudes normally above the top of the frame and is acted. upon by the elevator C as the latter lowers the matrix-line toits position in front of the mold. If the elevator C descends the distance necessary to present the matrices properly, the rod 00 will be depressed a su'fiicient distance to permit the operation of the machine, but not otherwise. Each matrix contains, as usual, the upper and the lower type characters 6 and b, respectively. When the machine is operating in the normal manner and casting from the upper characters 5, the elevator C will descend until it rests on top of the frame A, thereby presenting the characters 6 in front of the mold. When, however, the lower characters are to be used. the elevator must be arrested at the higher level, (shown in Fig. 6,) to present the lower characters of the matrices to the mold. It is the purpose of my invention to thus support the elevator.

My attachment consists, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, &c., of a fiat plate 1, provided at one end with a pivot-hole 5 and at the opposite end with a lateral notch 4 and also with an overlying spring-arm 3,carrying a small plate 2, which is held normally above the level of the main plate, as shown in Fig. 2. The spring-arm 3 has one end seated and secured in the hole 10 of the plate 1.

1n operating the device it is connected bya pivot6 to the top of the frame'A in position to swing horizontally. When swung in one direction to the position indicated by dotted line A Bin Fig. 5, the plate 2 will stand to one side of the starting-rod (r and the device will be inactive, permitting the elevator to descend to its lowest position. When, however, it is swung to the position shown in full lines in Figs. 5 and 6, with its slotted end astride of the starting-rod the plate 2 will stand directly over the starting-rod and below the elevator (J, so that when the elevator descends it will be arrested by the underlying plates and held at the level shown in Fig. 6, the plate 2 being carried downward upon the rod a and depressing the latter, so that the machine may start. If the elevator fails to descend far enough to present the lower matriX characters 6 in operative position, the elevator will fail to depress the rod 0 and the machine will be prevented from starting in the same manner that it is prevented when there is a failure to properly present the upper matrix characters to the mold.

The essence of my invention lies in the employment of a movable support for the first elevator adapted to be thrown into and out of action at will and in combination therewith a yielding or moving device to actuate the clutch-controlling member (0 What 1 claim as my invention is- 1. An attachment to adapt the Mergenthaler linotype for the use of two-letter matrices, consisting of a plate 1, to arrest the descent of the first elevator, and a vertically-movable member 2, connected to the plate substantially as shown, to operate the usual clutch-controlling devices.

2. The two-letter attachment for a linotypemachine,com prisinga plate 1, laterally notched at one end, and a secondary plate movably connected thereto.

3. The attachment for a linotype-machine, consisting of the plate 1, laterally notched at one end, a secondary plate 2, and connectingspring 3.

4. In a linotype-machine, the main frame, the line-carrying elevator C and the clutchcontrolling rod (4 in combination with a movable plate mounted between the elevator and the frame and provided with a secondary spring-supported member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES JAMES OBRIEN. Witnesses:

RALPH LEWIS BROWN,

WILLIAM FRANCIS VALLANDIGHAM. 

